Divers from the Zurich municipal police and the army recovered the shell from the lake bed on Friday morning. The projectile was first spotted on Tuesday by a recreational diver who contacted the authorities. It was lying at a depth of just under five metres and in proximity to a popular lakeside restaurant in Zurich’s district 8.
For safety reasons, the police cordoned off the area on the lake and on the shore during the recovery work. The shell was then transported in a special vehicle.
The demining specialists have determined that the shell is a mine launcher projectile from the First World War, and produced in Germany between 1914 and 1918. It is not known how long the shell had been at the bottom of the lake.
In 2021, 908 instances of found ordnances were reported in Switzerland, leading to the recovery of 2,741 ammunition-related objects.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Wealth is not all: how gentrification in Zurich has led to housing shortage
Swiss invention: 90-year anniversary of first T-bar ski lift
This content was published on
On Monday it will be 90 years since the world’s first T-bar ski lift went into service in Davos. This Swiss invention was an instant success.
Iran summons Swiss ambassador over US and Italy arrests
This content was published on
Iran has summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests, to protest against the arrest in the US and Italy of two Iranians.
Swisscom receives greenlight for acquisition of Vodafone Italia
This content was published on
The takeover of Vodafone Italia by Swisscom is nearing completion. All relevant authorities have now approved the €8 billion (CHF7.45 billion) deal.
Novo Nordisk stock market plunge drags down Swiss device maker Ypsomed
This content was published on
The Danish pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk, faced setbacks on Friday that weighed on the share price of Swiss injection device manufacturer Ypsomed.
Swiss press react to EU deal with mix of euphoria and scepticism
This content was published on
Swiss media reaction to the agreement between Switzerland and the EU varies widely. Some are celebrating, while others worry about what is to come.
Swiss Solidarity donations to tackle child abuse top CHF4 million
This content was published on
Swiss Solidarity, the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), has raised over CHF4 million ($4.3 million) to tackle child abuse.
Unexploded munitions under the Alps are a ticking time bomb
This content was published on
Hundreds of people will have to leave their village for over a decade while tonnes of Second World War ammunition and explosives are cleared.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.